On March 27, members of the Delta College board, leadership from the Agriculture department, and local partners gathered at the Manteca farm to cut the ribbon on a new 10-acre orchard of cherry trees.
“This orchard represents opportunity, growth and the future of agriculture,” said Donald Drake, the manager of the Manteca farm. “Through our partnership with the California Cherry Board, students will conduct applied research on cherry varieties that contribute directly to the industry.”
The orchard, which was established with a $60,000 dollar donation from the California Cherry Board (CCB), will be used to not only educate students but also to research several factors that go into cherry production.
According to Drake, the hands-on experience given at the orchard is intended to give students experience in several necessary agriculture skills like crop inputs, irrigation management, pruning techniques and yield tracking while also collecting data on factors such as pest pressure.
“As a former high school [Advancement Via Individual Determination] teacher, I’m very excited for the hands-on learning and practical educational opportunity this project brings to the future generations of farmers in the valley,” said Jessica Costigliolo, the current chair of the CCB’s research committee.
The CCB approved the donation in March of last year, and it was received in June before being accepted by the board of trustees at the July 15 board meeting.
“Agriculture is an important part of what we do at Delta College,” said President Lisa Aguilera Lawrenson. “The farm is an important part of our academic program at Delta College and we’re working with our community partners to meet labor market needs”
Cherries represent a sizable chunk of the agriculture in San Joaquin County.
According to the 2024 San Joaquin County crop report, cherries were the sixth most valuable commodity — an agricultural product that can be sold in a market place — bringing in more than $200 million in a year. Cherries were also in the top five exports, with 14,870 tons of cherries being exported across the world.
According to the CCB’s Cherry acreage by county report, more than 20,000 acres of farmland is used for cherries in San Joaquin County, split amongst several varieties.
“Investing in this cherry orchard is an opportunity to help prepare students for jobs in the local economy so it’s an important moment for us,” said Aguilera Lawrenson, who highlighted the significance of agriculture to Delta College
